Inside emergency exit latch

ABSTRACT

A latching means, normally holding iron grille coverings for windows and doors in a covering relation thereto and providing inside release means and co-operating spring means whereby a single, simple manipulation by a person within a structure will simultaneously unlatch the covering grille and swing it to an open condition.

United States Patent 1191 Richber Feb. 26 1974 [54] INSIDE EMERGENCY EXIT LATCH 2,924,862 2/1960 Pellicore 49/56 [76] Inventor: Michael P. Richberg, 1120 SW. kgjffffijj 74th Mlaml, 33144 1,954,500 4/1934 Sparks 292/127. [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1 972 1 pp No 299006 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 292/62, 292/127, 292/D1G. 72 1 51 Int. Cl. E05c 5/02, E05c 19/10 latchmg mans, normally 811116 [58] Field of Search" 292/57, 127 58, 62 92 137 mgs for windows 21nd doors 1n a covering relation 292/93, DIG l8 DIG. 72; 49/56 thereto and PIOVlCllHg inside release means and cooperatmg spring means whereby a single, s1mp1e ma- [56] References Cited nipulation by a person within a structure will s imu1ta- UNITED STATES PATENTS neously unlatch the covering gr111e and swing it to an open condition. 1,169,104 1/1916 Turney 292/58 991,959 5/1911 I Dickert 292/127 14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures INSIDE EMERGENCY EXIT LATCH STATE OF THE PRIOR ART US. Pat. No. 2,924,862 to A. P. Pellicore discloses a securing means for window guards or the like of a type which are fitted within the window frame outwardlyof a conventional double hung window sash. The primary object of this device is to prevent window breakage as in schools and at the same time to prevent unlawful entry of vandals, burglars or the like.

Latch means are provided which automatically secure the window guard when the lower window is closed and when said lower window is moved to an open position, coil spring means, circumposed about a vertical rod carrying the latch means, restrains the window guard in a closed condition. Howevenany outwardly directed force applied to the window guard from the inside of the structure will swing said guard about hinge means to an opencondition to provide an emergency escape route.

US. Pat. No. 2,668,729 to G. S. Watters discloses a window grille guard, the principal object of which is to positively confine inmates of institutions, such as hospitals for the insane. The grilles of this invention provide securing devices to insure that said grilles normally remain closed but can be quickly and certainly released in an emergency. However, these securingdevices are on the outside of the building structure and provide no means for actuation thereof from the inside, depending entirely on attendants"manipulation from the outside.

BACKGROUND'OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention pertains to emergency latch means for openwork guards, such as iron grilles, disposed in a normally protective relation to exit openings such as windows and doors. One of the principal uses of the latch device of the present invention is to provide instantaneous opening means for such protective grilles when disposed relative to bedroom windows.

Due to the ever increasing crime rate, protective grilles are gaining rapidly inpopularity as a means to deter illegal entrance of burglars, vandals and the like. However, protective grilles of this type as commonly employed, while providing a substantial degree of protection against illegal entry, impose a-danger to the occupants of a residence; for example, insofar as they prevent quick exit in an emergency, such as that created by a fire.

Many people, particularly the elderly, have been burned to death or died of suffocation when awakened in their beds, found-the inside escape route beyondthe bedroom door blocked by fire, and the'window exits solidly barracaded by iron grilles or the like. Under normal circumstances, such grilles as commonly installed provide an obstacle, the removal of which is far beyond the physical-capabilities of the b'edroomoccupants whoare thereby literally condemned to death.

The emergency exit latch means of this invention,

when used in combination with an iron grille or the like. permits the grille'toretain its protective qualities,

yet permits instantaneousopening thereof from the inside by' a single, extremely simple manipulation well within the capabilities of quite feeble, elderly, or very young persons.

One form of the present invention provides a simple handle means on the inside which is turned through a partial revolution, whereupon the latch automatically disengages under the influence of a compression spring, and the grille, being hinged across its bottom edge to the outside of the wall, instantaneously pops open.

A second form of the inventionprovides an interior push button which, when depressed a short distance, disengages the latch, and the grille instantaneously pops open under the influence of a spring means.

Other types of latch release means, such as a solenoid, controlled by a conventional electric switch means, can be employed; however, any simple, manual- Iy-operated mechanical means requiring a minimum'of effort, is preferable because fires often disable the electrical system. If such an electrical control is employed,

it would, therefore, be preferable to employ anvauxiliary manual control.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an iron window grille, mounted exteriorly of a window opening, employing the emergency exit latch means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the various views, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, an iron grille 10 is mounted to an exterior wall 12 relative to a window 14 conventionally mounted in a window opening 16. The emergency exit latch means of the present invention is indicated generally at 18 in a latched relation to the grille l0.

. With further reference to FIG. 1, the iron grille 10is comprised generally of perimeter rails including top and bottom rail members 20 and 22, opposed side rail members 24 and 26 and a plurality of spaced-apart, vertical bars between the side rail members 24 and 26 fixed at their respective opposed ends to the top and bottom rail members 20 and 22. The grille as above described is conventionally welded into a very strong, rigid unit.

' The bottom rail member 22 is hinged at its opposed ends at 28 and 30 to respective support bars 32 and 34 which may be attached to or set in the wall 12 in any conventional manner depending upon the construction material of the building. Any conventional hinged connection may be employed to permit the grille 10 to swing-outwardly and downwardly thereabout when the latch means 18 is detached relative thereto. It should be understood that the grille 10may be positioned in a plane spaced outwardly from the plane of the outside 3 ing windows, the grille may lie in a plane substantially common with the plane of said outside wall 12.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the emergency exit latch means 18 of the present invention, preferably located midway of the top rail length, extends generally, transversely through the outside wall 12. In the preferred form of FIGS. 2 and 3, a tubular housing 36 is disposed in a suitable hole 38 extending transversely through the outside wall 12 and may be confined in place between an inside cover plate 40, fixed against the inner wall surface by attachment means 42, and an outside cover plate 44, fixed by any suitable anchor means 46 against the outside surface of the wall 12.

A latch rod 48 extends through the tubular housing 36 and includes a tubular outer end portion 50 either formed integral therewith or fixed thereto, containing a compression spring 52 normally extending between its inner end 54 and a pair of opposed chordal segments 56 and 58 adjacent to the outer end 60 thereof. Said segments 56 and 58 are sized to define a cross slot 62 therebetween across the mouth portion of the tubular end portion 50.

A bar 64 welded at its outer end to the top rail member 20 of'grille includes a tongue 66 formed at the inner end portion adapted to be passed through the cross slot 62 to compress the spring 52. Connecting the tongue 66 to the inner end 68 of the bar 64 is a neck portion 70 which extends through the cross slot 62. As best illustrated in FIG. 2 the inner end 68 of the bar 64 abuts the outer faces of the chordal segments 56 and 58, forming a stop or positioning means for the tongue 66 within the bore of the tubular portion 50.

The latch rod 48 extends a short distance inwardly of the wall 12 at 72 and is provided with a handle 74 pinned thereto at 76. Cover plate means 78 is fixed as by welding 80 to the bar 64 in a position to effectively enclose the anchor means 46 to prevent tampering therewith from the outside of the building. A pair of inwardly'extending stabilizing bars 82 and 84 may be welded at their outer ends to the respective opposed ends of the top rail member with their inner ends in abutment with the wall 12 at 86 and 88.

In operation, the latch rod 48 is manipulated by the handle 74 to position the cross slot 62 to receive the tongue 66. After the iron grille 10 is swung on its hinges 28 and to pass the tongue 66 through the cross slot 62, the latch rod 48 is turned through a partial revolution by handle 74 to disalign the cross slot 62 relative to tongue 66 to effectively, securely latch the grille 10 relative to the window opening 16.

In the event of an emergency or for any other purpose, such as for cleaning the windows, the handle 74 is rotated until the tongue 66 becomes aligned with the slot 62, whereupon the grille 10, under pressure of the spring 52, automatically pops open.

In the form of the invention disclosed in FIG. 4, a tube 36 extends through the wall 12' and includes an enlarged outer end 36" housing a bell crank-shaped pawl 90 pivoted therein at 92. The pawl 90 normally engages in a latch slot 94 formed across the inner end portion of the bar 64. Extending inwardly through the tube portion 36' is a push rod 96 having an inner end 98, normally held in abutting relation with the arm 100 of the bell crank-shaped pawl 90. At its inner end, the push rod 96 is provided with a push button 102, accessible for manual actuation from the inside.

An inner annular flange 104 is fixed within the tube portion 36 and a compression spring 106 is positioned between said flange 104 and the inner side of the push button 102. A positioning collar 108 is fixed to the push rod 96 and is normally seated against the outer side of the flange 104.

In operation, inward movement of the push rod 96 rotates the latch pawl out of engagement with the latch slot 94 and the grille 10' pops open under the influence of a spring means such as indicated at 110. When the push button 102 is released, the compression spring means 106 returns the latch rod 96 to its normal position with the collar 108 seated against the annular flange 104. A spring means 112 associated with the pawl 90 returns said pawl relative to the push rod 96. When the grille 10 is pivoted about its hinge mea-nsto a closed position, the nose of the bar 64' contacts and lifts the pawl 90 until it re-engages the latch slot 94.

Various changes and modifications can be made in the two forms of the present invention as illustrated and described without departing from the true spirit of the invention. For example, an electric switch actuated solenoid can be employed to release the latch means in either of the disclosed forms of the invention. In the form of FIGS. 2 and 3, a solenoid can be positioned in the tube 16 to rotate the latch rod to release the tongue 66 by engagement with a lug extending radially there from. However, the actuating handle 74 can be retained to provide manual actuating means in the event of electric power failure.

In the form of FIG. 4, an electric switch actuated solenoid positioned in the tube portion 36, can engage a lug, fixed to the push rod 96, to impart longitudinal movement thereto, to release the pawl engagement with the bar 64'. The manually actuated switch button can be retained for insurance purposes.

FIG. 5 illustrates an iron grille guard mounted relative to a door opening 122. One vertical rail 124 of the grille 120 is hinged at 126 to the exterior wall 128 and the opposed vertical rail 130 is releasably secured thereto as at 132 by either of the latch means of the present invention as above described. When. applied to a door grille, the spring means 52 or 110 will pop the grille ajar. I i

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an emergencyexit latch and an openwork guard, comprising an iron grille for the outside of a wall opening, said latch comprising;

A. a bar, fixed as by welding at its outer end to the guard, including an inner end portion normally extending a predetermined distance into the outer end portion of a through hole in the wall adjacent to the perimeter of the wall opening;

B. latch means normally securing said bar inner end portion to firmly maintain the openwork guard relative to the wall opening;

C. a latch release rod in said through hole including,

1. actuating means, positioned inwardly of the wall, carried by an inner end portion of said rod, to provide for manual movement thereof, and

2. an outer end portion, normally operably engaged with said latch means, to disengage same upon proper movement of said latch release rod by said inside actuating means.

2. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 1, including spring means, normally in engagement with said bar to move the openwork guard away from the wall when said latch means is disengaged.

3. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 2 including hinge attachment means to the outside of the wall along the side of the openwork guard opposite to the side providing the emergency exit latch.

4. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 3 wherein the bottom edge of the openwork guard is hinged to the wall and the latch connects with the top portion thereof.

5. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 3 wherein one vertical edge of the openwork guard is hinged to the wall and the latch connects with the opposed vertical side portion thereof.

6. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 1 wherein said latch comprises a tongue, forming the inner end of said bar and being joined thereto by a narrow neck portion, said tongue being engagable through a companionately sized slot formed in an enlarged tubular outer end extension of said latch release rod.

7. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating means comprises a handle, fixed to an inner end portion of said latch release rod, inwardly of the wall, whereby selective rotation of said latch release rod by said handle displaces said slot relative to said tongue, with the tongue passed therethrough, to form a latched engagement therebetween, or aligns said slot with said tongue to permit passage of the tongue through the slot.

8. An emergency exit latch means as defined in claim 7 including a compression spring in said tubular outer end extension, normally exerting outwardly directed forces against said tongue in the latched position whereby said tongue is driven through said slot when said slot is aligned with said tongue.

9. An emergency exit latch means as defined in claim 1 including a tubular housing extending through said through hole and inner and outer cover plates providing appropriate respective openings for passage therethrough of said latch release rod and bar, and inner and outer anchor means to securely attach said cover plates respectively against the inner and outer wall surfaces.

.wherein said latch release rod comprises a spring loaded, normally inwardly urged push rod having a push button portion inwardly of the wall and an outer end portion adapted to engage an arm of said pawl to pivot same out of engagement with said cross slot when said push rod is manually moved outwardly.

13. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 12 including spring means to normally maintain said pawl in a latched position.

14. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 2 including an auxiliary electric switch operated solenoid to actuate said latch release rod. 

1. In combination, an emergency exit latch and an openwork guard, comprising an iron grille for the outside of a wall opening, said latch comprising; A. a bar, fixed as by welding at its outer end to the guard, including an inner end portion normally extending a predetermined distance into the outer end portion of a through hole in the wall adjacent to the perimeter of the wall opening; B. latch means normally securing said bar inner end portion to firmly maintain the openwork guard relative to the wall opening; C. a latch release rod in said through hole including,
 1. actuating means, positioned inwardly of the wall, carried by an inner end portion of said rod, to provide for manual movement thereof, and
 2. an outer end portion, normally operably engaged with said latch means, to disengage same upon proper movement of said latch release rod by said inside actuating means.
 2. an outer end portion, normally operably engaged with said latch means, to disengage same upon proper movement of said latch release rod by said inside actuating means.
 2. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 1, including spring means, normally in engagement with said bar to move the openwork guard away from the wall when said latch means is disengaged.
 3. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 2 including hinge attachment means to the outside of the wall along the side of the openwork guard opposite to the side providing the emergency exit latch.
 4. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 3 wherein the bottom edge of the openwork guard is hinged to the wall and the latch connects with the top portion thereof.
 5. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 3 wherein one vertical edge of the openwork guard is hinged to the wall and the latch connects with the opposed vertical side portion thereof.
 6. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 1 wherein said latch comprises a tongue, forming the inner end of said bar and being joined thereto by a narrow neck portion, said tongue being engagable through a companionately sized slot formed in an enlarged tubular outer end extension of said latch release rod.
 7. An emergency exit latch as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating means comprises a handle, fixed to an inner end portion of said latch release rod, inwardly of the wall, whereby selective rotation of said latch release rod by said handle displaces said slot relative to said tongue, with the tongue passed therethrough, to form a latched engagement therebetween, or aligns said slot with said tongue to permit passage of the tongue through the slot.
 8. An emergency exit latch means as defined in claim 7 including a compression spring in said tubular outer end extension, normally exerting outwardly directed forces against said tongue in the latched position whereby said tongue is driven through said slot when said slot is aligned with said tongue.
 9. An emergency exit latch means as defined in claim 1 including a tubular housing extending through said through hole and inner and outer cover plates providing appropriate respective openings for passage therEthrough of said latch release rod and bar, and inner and outer anchor means to securely attach said cover plates respectively against the inner and outer wall surfaces.
 10. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 9 including a cover plate welded to said bar outwardly of said outer wall to enclose said outer anchor means.
 11. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 2 including a pawl, pivotally attached in a housing extending through said through hole, engagable with a cross slot in the inner end portion of said bar when said bar is extended into said outer end portion of said through hole.
 12. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 11 wherein said latch release rod comprises a spring loaded, normally inwardly urged push rod having a push button portion inwardly of the wall and an outer end portion adapted to engage an arm of said pawl to pivot same out of engagement with said cross slot when said push rod is manually moved outwardly.
 13. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 12 including spring means to normally maintain said pawl in a latched position.
 14. An emergency latch means as defined in claim 2 including an auxiliary electric switch operated solenoid to actuate said latch release rod. 